Take a look at Earth both as our home planet and its place in our solar system and beyond.  Journey to all our neighboring planets from Mercury to Pluto.  Explore how stars are born, discover what happens when galaxies collide, and peer deep into the origins of the universe.

Our Place in Space is also home to Science On a Sphere—a large visualization system that uses computers and video projectors to display animated data onto the outside of a sphere.  Science On a Sphere is an animated globe that shows dynamic images of the atmosphere, oceans, and land of a planet. 

Imagine gazing upon Earth as you are suspended in orbit 22,000 miles above its surface. Watch a hurricane form as a small storm slowly gathers strength traveling westward from Africa across the Atlantic Ocean, toward the Gulf of Mexico. See colorful infrared images of cloud tops meet, join, grow, collapse and disperse. Watch prevailing westerly winds and the easterly trade winds materialize before your eyes. Survey Earth’s scorching desert expanses in contrast to the below-zero temperature of cloud tops.  Earth is dynamic—constantly changing—and Science On a Sphere is a unique three dimensional demonstration of the power of global forces like wind, weather, temperature, and ocean currents on life here on Earth.

Science On a Sphere looks at phenomena beyond Earth as well.  Data collected from Moon missions and Mars explorations have also been translated into spherical presentations so that viewers can gain better understanding of what takes place on our closest neighbors.  See things like the dark side of the moon and mammoth canyons on Mars as part of regularly scheduled presentations.

Science On a Sphere presentations take place throughout the day.  A mix of live presentations and computer simulations are all part of the daily schedule.  Topics change on a daily basis—please check the schedule on the day you visit.  Show times can be seen by clicking here. A list of topics and presentations can be found on the Science On a Sphere page.

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